All is merry and bright, if it’s done right

Mixing your friends a few light and tasty drinks could lead to an overwhelming feeling of joyfulness.

Photograph by: iStockphoto
, iStockphoto

A cocktail party is fun, it’s festive, and it’s how we’re most likely to entertain — and be entertained — during the holiday season.

"In the last year, I’ve seen a definite shift out of formal sit-down dinners," says Jonathan Chovancek, co-owner of Kale & Nori Culinary Arts (kaleandnori.com), a new cocktail-and-food-focused catering venture.

As a chef who’s been catering in Vancouver over the last seven years, Chovancek has seen it all. And one thing he’s seen is a move toward a more lively and casual approach to entertaining, both at home and in restaurants. That this change coincides with the city’s embrace of cocktail culture makes the cocktail party the social event du jour

Thinking of throwing your own swellegant cocktail bash? Here’s how:

First, it’s worth noting a cocktail party is shorter than a sit-down dinner, gala or a traditional house party. So when you issue your invitations, specify both a beginning and end time for your event.

"Three hours is probably a good amount of time," Chovancek says. "People generally don’t arrive on time, and they often leave before the end of the event."

A cocktail party is also interactive and social, with people moving around and chatting. Invite a good mix of people to keep things lively, and keep the music bright but low enough that people can talk.

Be sure to offer food but not too much. Three types of hors d’oeuvres, with 5-8 items per person, should be enough. More important, remember because your guests will be moving about, the nibblies should be "properly proportioned and structured," Chovancek says. "It’s going to be beautiful and it’s going to be delicious, but it’s also going to be easy to eat."

The focus is the drinks, and that’s where you can have fun.

A cocktail party easily lends itself to a theme of, say, pre-Prohibition drinks, tiki or tea-infused punch served in pretty cups.

West Restaurant bar manager David Wolowidnyk suggests you can set the mood for the evening by greeting your guests with a theme cocktail at the door.

"Most people prepare food for their guests to nibble on when they arrive, but they often scramble to place out a couple of bottles of liquor and a few mixes and invite people to help themselves to the ’bar’," he says. "With the addition of a well-prepared cocktail, you can set the tone for the evening, and show them a great time.

You don’t have to serve a lot of drinks, but it’s a good idea to have some variety. For instance, bartender Lauren Mote, Chovancek’s partner in Kale + Nori, always offers lighter styles of drinks as well as non-alcoholic ones, to keep the revelry in check.

"I would be inclined to do one gimlet style cocktail and a punch for everyday clients, because having spirit-heavy cocktails for clients who aren’t 1/8accustomed 3/8 to them is not a good idea," she says.

Dark spirits such as rum, whisky and brandy are perfect for the winter months, and they make a perfect base for a not-so-boozy punch. If you pick one or two signature drinks, you don’t need to stock a full bar; all you’ll need is the ingredients for those cocktails, plus wine, beer and mineral water or soda for non-drinkers.

You can make it easier for yourself and your guests by "batching" those drinks ahead of time. Wolowidnyk is a big fan of pre-mixing large quantities of cocktails so they’re ready to serve when the guests arrive.

"When entertaining friends and family," he says, "I always recommend preparing as much in advance as possible, so you are able to maximize the time enjoying their company.

The most popular "big batch" drink is punch, which is making a comeback as the season’s hottest cocktail trend.

"This classic style of cocktail is on the brink of re-popularity at a finer level," says Jay Jones, lead bartender at the Shangri-La Hotel, which introducing a proper punch program in its new lounge, Xi Shi.

"Everyone is familiar with punch bowls at proms and house parties, but the bartending community is set to take punch back to its stylish and flavourful origins

For home bartenders, punch is a delicious, economical and easy way to serve a crowd and anything that makes playing host to a party easier is a good idea. You want to mingle with your guests, not spend the evening lurking behind the bar or stuck in the kitchen.

That’s why all the experts recommend hiring help — a bartender, caterer or serving staff — or at least renting dishes and glassware so you don’t need to worry about cleanup.

"When you throw a party, you want to enjoy your guests," Chovancek says. "If you cook, you’re not going to be able to chat. We take all those things off your hands."

Just remember that, by law, a caterer can’t provide alcoholic beverages so you will still need to stock your bar. But one thing a professional can do is keep an eye on your guests, making sure they have enough to eat and cutting them off if they’ve had too much to drink.

"You don’t want people to get drunk," Chovancek says. "You want them to leave feeling happy and pleasant, but definitely not drunk."

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